"Taste" Turns Profit

Mon, 30 Sep 2013 07:10:38 CDTBy: AP

Mayor Rahm Emanuel says the 2013 "Taste of Chicago" turned a profit for the first time since 2007.
Emanuel announced Sunday that the food and cultural festival made a $272,000 profit and generated an estimated $106 million in total business activity. He cited a report by Custom Intercept Solutions that also found $2.4 million in tax receipts for the city.
Emanuel says "Taste" was revamped with new food options including food trucks and offerings from internationally known chefs. He contended that with "music from chart-topping acts" visitors from all over the world came to Chicago.
The festival ran for a shorter time period and included innovations such as "pop-up restaurants" and a "chef du jour."
Custom Intercept Solutions found that 59 percent of attendees were from outside Chicago.